#ShareTheOrange: Dementia is NOT normal ageing say ARUK

In a video presented by actor Christopher Eccleston, Alzheimer’s Research UK use an orange as a powerful metaphor for how the brain is affected by Alzheimer’s disease, but that with research, a cure for dementia could be found

Many people don’t realise that dementia is not a normal part of ageing, and that it’s actually caused by diseases that gradually strip the brain of all its faculties – piece by piece.

That’s the message that Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) are keen to get out to everyone in a new video they’ve produced with Dr Who actor Christopher Eccleston.

Christopher’s own father had vascular dementia for 14 years before dying in 2012, and he is a passionate campaigner for ARUK.

In the video, Christopher explains that many people assume that the memory problems and other symptoms associated with dementia are just a normal part of getting older. However, diseases such as Alzheimer’s attack the brain, causing it to decline.

The video has been produced with Aardman Animations, most famous for creating the Wallace & Gromit franchise of films and TV programmes, and their distinctive stop animation style is evident in the video.

It shows the orange gradually being stripped of its peel, pith and then each segment to demonstrate how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain. And the use of an orange is no coincidence either. The brain of someone with Alzheimer’s disease is around 140g lighter than someone with a healthy brain – about the same weight as an orange.

Watch the video below and then share our story and raise awareness of the campaign on social media by using the hashtag #ShareTheOrange.